Power operated hatch cover assembly



Oct. 26, 1965 P. RICHTER POWER OPERATED HATCH COVER ASSEMBLY Filed March 18, 1963 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.

Ply/4A 476K727? Oct. 26, 1965 P. RICHTER POWER QPERATED HATCH COVER ASSEMBLY 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 18, 1963 I NVE NTOR P/V/z/P 4 /64 7 Oct. 26, 1965 P. RICHTER POWER OPERATED HATCH COVER ASSEMBLY 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed March 18, 1965 Oct. 26, 1965 P. RICHTER 3,213,923

POWER OPERATED HATCH COVER ASSEMBLY Filed March 18, 1963 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR.

PI/A/P Away/[1E 3,213,923 Patented Oct. 26, 1965 3,213,923 POWER OPERATED HATCH COVER ASSEMBLY Philip Richter, Bethlehem, Pa., assiguor to Fuller Company, Catasauqua, Pa., a corporation of Delaware Filed Mar. 18, 1963, Ser. No. 265,824 8 (Ilaims. (Cl. 160-188) This invention relates to the art of power operated hatch cover assemblies, and more particularly to a hydraulically actuated hinge for effecting movement of a pair of marine hatch cover panels.

As conducive to an understanding of the invention, it is noted that a pair of marine hatch cover panels may be hingedly connected for folding movement from side by side substantially horizontal position over a hatchway to close the latter, to substantially vertical parallel position at one end of the hatchway to open the latter.

Where the hinge is of the hydraulically actuated type and includes an elongated cylinder with a pair of pistons therein, movable in opposite directions by the application of fluid under pressure thereagainst and transmission means driven by the pistons converts the axial movement of the piston into rotary movement to provide the desired torque to effect the folding action of the hatch cover panels, substantial axial thrust is developed by such axial movement of the pistons.

Where to counterbalance the axial thrust provided by the moving pistons so as to avoid the need of bulky and expensive thrust bearings, the transmission means comprises a rigid elongated rod which is subjected to the axial thrust as well as torque, resulting from the movement of the pistons, and which extends completely through the cylinder and through the pistons therein, so that the opposed thrust exerted against the rod Will be neutralized, thereby avoiding the need for such thrust bearings, since the effective area of the pistons subjected to the action of the hydraulic fluid will be substantially reduced by reason of the transmission rod ex tending therethrough, with a given source of fluid under pressure the diameter of the hinge casing would have to be sufficiently great to provide an effective piston surface area subjected to the hydraulic pressure to effect movement of the heavy hatch cover panels.

It is accordingly among the objects of the invention to provide a hatch cover assembly that includes a power operated hinge for effecting folding movement of a pair of marine hatch cover panels from side by side substantially horizontal position over a hatchway to close the latter, to substantially vertical position to open the latter, which assembly is dependable in operation and in which the hinge has a pair of oppositely moving pistons therein, subjected to the action of fluid under pressure to effect the folding movement, which assembly dispenses with the need for thrust hearings to take up the axial stress imparted by the movement of said pistons, without the need for a central rod extending through the unit, thereby enabling substantially the entire surface area of said pistons to be subjected to the application of the fluid under pressure with resultant reduction in the diameter of the unit to provide a given torque, with respect to the diameter of a unit in which the control rod extends through the pistons and which utilizes the same fluid pressure.

According to the invention these objects are accomplished by the arrangement and combination of elements hereinafter described and more particularly recited in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings in Which is shown one of various possible embodiments of the several features of the invention,

FIG. 1 is a top plan view of a hatch cover assembly according to the invention,

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view thereof showing the hatch cover panels in partially open position,

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary perspective view of the power hinge with parts broken away,

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary longitudinal sectional view of the power hinge, and

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary perspective view of the hatch cover assembly in open position.

Referring now to the drawings, in the illustrative embodiment shown, the deck 21 of the ship has a substantially rectangular opening therein defining a hatchway 22 which, as shown in FIG. 2, has a ledge 23 extending the length of the hatchway on each side thereof and spaced below the level of the deck 21. Each of the ledges 23 supports an elongated track 24 as is clearly shown in FIG. 2. Each of the ends of the hatchway has a support beam 25, 25 extending transversely thereacross, illustratively in substantially the same plane as the tracks 24. The ledges 23 and 25 serve to support a hatch cover assembly 26.

The hatch cover assembly illustratively comprises a pair of substantially rectangular panels A, B of sufficient length so that they may extend transversely across the hatchway, the length of said panels 'being slightly less than the width of the deck opening 22 which defines the hatchway. The panels are of such Width that when in closed position, they will extend from substantially one end of the deck opening 22 to the other as is clearly shown in FIG. 1 substantially to close the hatchway.

Referring to FIG. 2, it is to be noted that each of the panels has a depending skirt plate 28 located slightly inward from the outer periphery of each panel. The lower edge of each skirt is designed to seat on the associated track 24 along each side of the hatchway, thereby supporting the panels in a horizontal plane when in closed position on said tracks 24.

As is clearly shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the skirt plate 23 along the outer side of panel A mounts a plurality of arms 31, illustratively two in number, which extend outwardly from said skirt plate 28'. The free end of each of the arms 31 is pivotally connected as at 32 to the top of an associated upright standard 33, affixed in the ledge 25, the height of such standard 33 illustratively being such that the pivot connection 32 will be below the level of the deck 21 as i clearly shown in FIG. 2 and the thickness of each of the panels being such that its top surface 34 when the panels are in closed position, will be substantially flush with the deck 21.

According to the invention, the adjacent inner edges 35, 35' are connected by a common hinge 36, secured to and supported by beams 28 of said panels A, B, so that the pair of panels A, B, may be folded about said hinge 36 respectively from the closed position shown in FIG. 1, to the open position shown in FIG. 5 in the manner hereinafter to be described.

As is clearly shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the hinge 36 comprises a cylindrical outer casing 41 which has a fluid pressure port 42 midway between its ends 43. EX- tending into each end 43 of casing 41 is a cylindrical member 44 which has an external annular flange 45 adjacent its end 46, said flange abutting against the adjacent end 43 of casing 41. The outer surface of member 44 between the end 46 thereof and flange 45 has an annular groove 47 in which seal 48 is positioned to define a seal between the adjacent surfaces of casing 41 and member 44.

Means are provided releasably to retain the members 44 in fixed position with respect to casing 41. To this end, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, a locking collar 51 is provided which is internally threaded as at 52 to coact with the correspondingly externally threaded outer surface of the casing 41 adjacent the ends 43 thereof. The collar 51 has an internal annular flange 53 which will abut against the flange when the collar is tightened securely, yet releasably to lock casing 41 and members 44 together.

Each of the cylindrical members 44 which extend axially of casing 41 has a fluid pressure port 55 adjacent its outer end 56. Secured as by welding at 57 to each of the ends 56 of members 44 is a cylindrical sleeve 58 which extends axially of casing 41 and members 44. Each of the sleeves 58 is internally threaded as at 59 adjacent its outer end 61 and a hollow gland 62 having a complementary threaded outer surface is screwed into the bore 63' of each of the sleeves 58 until the external annular flange 64 at the outer end of each gland abuts against the end 61 of the associated sleeve 58.

Each of the glands 62 is provided with an internal and external annular groove 65, 65 to receive a suitable seal 66, to define a seal between the adjacent surfaces of sleeve 58 and gland 62, and between the adjacent surfaces of the bore 67 of the gland and the portion 68 of an actuated rod 69 extending through the associated bore 67, which rod will be hereinafter more fully described.

In addition, each of the glands 62 adjacent the flange 64 has an annular groove 70 having an exclusion seal 70', the purpose of which is to prevent dirt from reaching the adjacent sealing ring 66.

Glands 62 serve as bearings for the actuated rods 69 and are made of suitable bearing material, for example bronze. Elements 58 and 62 are of the illustrated separate construction for a number of reasons. By use of removable gland 62 it is possible to replace seal 66 without disassembling the casing and cylinders. Also, the illustrated construction permits ready replacement of a new bearing should that become necessary. In addition, two piece construction is more economical than were the entire cross section made of the special bearing material.

Slidably mounted in the casing 41 is a pair of pistons 71, the outer periphery of each of which has an annular groove 72 in which a seal 73 is positioned to define a seal between the piston and the wall of the casing 41. The outer face of each piston has a recess 74 defining an annular wall 75 which is internally threaded as at 76 to receive the correspondingly threaded end of an elongated sleeve 77.

An outer surface of each sleeve 77 has guiding means specifically illustrated as helical splines 78. The splines 78 of the two sleeves 77 are of opposite hand respectively. These guiding means on sleeves 77 are complementary to and in mating engagement with respective guiding means 78 on an inner surface of the corresponding cylindrical members 44 adjacent inner ends 46 thereof. An inner surface of each sleeve 77 has guiding means, specifically illustrated as helical splines 81, with the splines 81 of the two sleeves 77 being of opposite hand respectively.

Positioned in each of the cylindrical members 44 is an actuated rod 69 having a body portion 80 with guiding means 82 in complementary engagement with opposed guiding means 81 of the corresponding sleeve 77.

The pair of mating guiding means 78', 78 and the pair of mating guiding means 81, 82 can be helical and of opposite hand as shown; or helical and of the same hand but with different helix angles; or one pair can be helical and the other pair straight in an axial direction. The actual combination, at least in part, depends upon the amount of torque and rotation which is desired.

The portion 68 of each of the rods 69 is of reduced diameter defining an annular shoulder 85 at the outer end of the associated body portion 80, the shoulder being positioned inwardly of the inner end of gland 62 and being spaced therefrom.

The reduced diameter portion 68 of each rod extends beyond the flange 64 of the associated gland 62 and each of the extending ends 86 is of further reduced diameter defining an annular shoulder 87. In addition, each of the extending ends 86 is provided with torque applying splines 88 which extend parallel to the longitudinal axis of the associated rod 69.

The hinge 36 above described, is positioned between the edges 35, 35' of the panels A, B so as to extend parallel thereto, centrally located between the ends 91 of the panels. Each of the sleeves 58 has secured thereto as by welding, a bracket 92 which in turn is secured to the beam 28, of the panel B, for example. Although the brackets may be secured to the beam 28 in any suitable manner, as illustratively shown in FIG. 5, each bracket 92 has a mounting plate 93 which is bolted to the beam 28.

Encompassing each of the splined ends 86 of the rods 69 and straddling the hinge 36, is a hub 94; the latter having a bore 95 with parallel grooves 96 complementary to the splines 88 to receive the latter. One end of each of the bores 95 is of enlarged diameter defining an annular shoulder 97 against which the shoulder 87 of the associated rod 69 is adapted to abut.

Each of the hubs 94 has secured thereto as by welding, a bracket 98 which in turn is secured to the beam 28 of panel A. Although the brackets 98 may be secured to the beam 28 in any suitable manner, as illustratively shown in FIG. 5, each bracket also has a mounting plate 99 which is bolted to the beam 28 by bolts 100.

In the operation of the equipment above described, assuming that the pistons 72 are in their innermost position, when fluid under pressure is applied through pressure inlet port 42, it will react against the entire surface area of pistons 72 to force the latter outwardly. As a result of such outward movement of the pistons and the sleeves 77 rigidly secured thereto, by reason of the engaging helical splines 78 and 78', the sleeves 77 will also rotate. The outward movement of the sleeves 77 and the rotation thereof will, due to the engagement of the helical splines 81 and 82 at the outer ends of sleeves 77 and on the body portions of rods 69, cause the rods to be rotated. Due to the abutment of shoulders 87 and 97 of the rods 69 and fixed hubs 94, any outward movement of rods 69 will be limited and the shoulders thereof will remain spaced from the ends 62' of the glands 62.

As the glands 62 are fixed in position and the shoulders 85 of rods 69 are rotating, by reason of such spacing, no thrust bearing is required therebetween.

Rotation of the rods 69, due to the engagement of the splines 88 on the ends 86 thereof with the grooves 96 of the hubs 94, will cause torque to be applied to both panels A and B so that they will move toward each other to the open position shown in FIG. 5.

The outward thrust imparted by the rods 69 will be resisted by the abutment of shoulders 87 and 97. However, as both the rods 69 carrying shoulders 87 and the hubs 94 carrying shoulders 97 are both rotating together due to the spline connection therebetween, there is no friction due to such engagement of shoulders 87 and 97 and hence no thrust bearing is required.

The thrust that is present is resisted by the hubs 94 themselves and through the conventional rigid, sturdy construction of the hatch cover panel to which the hubs 94 are secured.

To efiect closing of the panels A, B from the position shown in FIG. 5 to the position shown in FIG. 1, fluid under pressure is applied through the ports 55 while port 42 is opened to exhaust.

Initially when fluid under pressure is introduced to ports 55, since such fluid pressure will momentarily act against the annular shoulder 85, there would be a tendency for the rods 69 to move inwardly and hence there might be a small amount of axial movement of ends 86 of rods 69 in bores of hubs 94. However, since the fluid under pressure admitted through ports 55 will flow through the passageways defined between the splines 82 of body portions 80 of the rods 69, such fluid will also react against the solid inner ends 69' of rods 69. Since the surface area of such ends 69 exposed to fluid pressure and tending to move the rods 69 outwardly is much greater than the surface area of shoulder 85 exposed to fluid pressure, and tending to move the rods 69 inwardly, the net result will be that the rods 69 will be forced outwardly so that shoulders 87 and 97 will abut.

The fluid under pressure will also react against the outer surface 74 of the pistons 71 (which is of area substantially equal to the area of the uninterrupted inner sur face 71' thereof), causing the pistons to move toward each other to effect rotation of the rods 69 in the opposite direction to restore the panels A and B to closed position.

With the construction above described, no thrust bearings are required to take up the axial thrust developed by the rods 69. Furthermore, the entire effective area of the piston 71 is available to be subjected to the action of fluid under pressure to effect opening movement of the hatch cover panels. Consequently, with a given fluid pressure, the diameter of the unit required to provide the needed force to effect movement of the heavy panels is substantially less than it would be if only a portion of the piston area was subjected to the fluid pressure.

As many changes could be made in the above equipment, and many apparently widely different embodiments of this invention could be made without departing from the scope of the claims, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A cover assembly for a hatchway comprising a pair of panels adapted to extend over said hatchway, said panels lying in side by side relation in substantially a horizontal plane when in closed position, means pivotally connecting the adjacent edges of said panels for folding movement thereof between closed and open position, said pivot means comprising an elongated cylindrical casing, means securing said casing to one of said panels, a pair of pistons slidably mounted in said casing and movable in opposed directions, the surfaces of said pistons having an effective area against which fluid under pressure will react substantially equal to the cross sectional area of the interior of the casing, a pair of actuated rods in said casing, extending outwardly respectively beyond the respective ends thereof, means to effect rotation of said rods upon movement of said pistons, said means comprising a pair of transmission members in said casing, each operatively connecting one of said pistons and one of said rods to rotate said rod upon movement of said piston, bracket means operatively connecting said rods to said other panel to limit axial outward movement of the rods with respect to said casing and to transmit torque to said other panel upon rotation of said rods, fluid pressure inlet means in said casing for application of fluid under pressure to opposed sides of said pistons to effect movement of said pistons in opposed directions thereby to effect pivotal movement of said panels.

2. The combination set forth in claim 1 in which the means operatively connecting the rods to the other of said panels comprises a pair of brackets rigidly secured to said other panel and straddling said casing, each of said brackets having an opening into which the end of the associated rod extends, complementary engaging means operatively connecting said rods and said brackets for transmission of torque from said rods to said brackets upon rotation of said rods and complementary abutment means are provided on each of said brackets and on each of said rods to limit the axial outward movement of the rods with respect to the casing.

3. A cover assembly for a hatchway comprising a pair of panels adapted to extend over said hatchway, said panels lying in side by side relation in substantially a horizontal plane when in closed position, means pivotally connecting the adjacent edges of said panels for folding movement thereof between closed and open position, said pivot means comprising an elongated cylindrical casing, means securing said casing to one of said panels, a pair of pistons slidably mounted in said casing and movable in opposed directions, a pair of actuated rods in said casing, extending outwardly respectively beyond the respective ends thereof, means to effect rotation of said rods upon movement of said pistons, said means comprising a pair of transmission members in said casing, each operatively connecting one of said pistons and one of said rods to rotate said rod upon movement of said piston, a pair of brackets rigidly secured to said other panel and straddling said casing, each of said brackets having a bore axially aligned with said rods, the end of each rod extending into its associated bore, complementary engaging configurations in said bores and on the ends of said rods for transmission of torque from said rods to said brackets upon rotation of said rods, each of said bores having an enlarged diameter portion defining an annular shoulder and each of said rods having an enlarged diameter portion defining an annular shoulder adapted to abut against the annular shoulder in the associated bore to limit the outward movement of said rod and fluid pressure inlet means in said casing for application of fluid under pressure to opposed sides of said pistons to effect such movement of said pistons in opposed directions thereby to effect pivotal movement of said panels.

'4. A cover assembly for a hatchway comprising a pair of panels adapted to extend over said hatchway, said panels lying in side by side relation in substantially a horizontal plane when in closed position, means pivotally connecting the adjacent edges of said panels for folding move ment thereof between closed and open position, said pivot means comprising an elongated cylindrical casing, means securing said casing to one of said panels, a pair of piston assemblies slidably mounted in said casing and movable in opposed directions, each of said piston assemblies including a piston and an elongated sleeve extending outwardly from the outer surface of said piston, complementary engaging guide means on said piston assembly and the inner surface of said casing, a pair of actuated rods in said casing, extending outwardly respectively beyond the respective ends thereof, each of said rods having a body portion with helical splines thereon, the splines on each body portion being of opposed hands, the inner surface of the extended end of each piston sleeve having complementary helical splines engaging the helical splines of said body portion, each of said rods having a bearing portion between the outwardly extending end thereof and the body portion thereof, each of the ends of the casing through which the ends of the rods extend having an axial bore defining a bearing for said bearing portion of said rods, bracket means operatively connecting said rods to said other panel to limit axial outward movement of the rods with respect to said casing, and to transmit torque to said other panel upon rotation of said rods, and fluid pressure inlet means in said casing for application of fluid under pressure to opposed sides of said pistons to effect such movement of said pistons in opposed directions for rotation of said rods, thereby to effect pivotal movement of said panels.

5. The combination set forth in claim 4 in which the means operatively connecting the rods to the other of said panels comprises a pair of brackets rigidly secured to said other panel and straddling said casing, each of said brackets having a bore axially aligned with said rods, the end of each rod extending into its associated bore, complementary engaging configurations in said bores and on the ends of said rods for transmission of torque to said brackets upon rotation of said rods, each of said bores having an enlarged diameter portion defining an annular shoulder and each of said rods having an enlarged diameter portion defining an annular shoulder adapted to abut against the annular shoulder in the associated bore to limit the outward movement of said rod.

6. A hydraulically operated hinge comprising an elongated cylindrical casing, 21 pair of piston assemblies slidably mounted in said casing and movable in opposed directions, each of said piston assemblies including a piston and an elongated sleeve extending outwardly from the outer surface of the piston, complementary engaging guide means on said piston assembly and the inner surface of said casing, the adjacent opposed surfaces of said pistons having an effective area against which fluid under pressure will react substantially equal to the cross sectional area of the interior of the casing, a pair of actuated rods in said casing, extending outwardly respectively beyond the respective ends thereof, each of said rods having a body portion with helical splines thereon, the splines on each body portion being of opposed hands, the inner surface of the other end of each piston sleeve having complementary helical splines engaging the helical splines of said body portion, each of said rods having a bearing portion between the outwardly extending end thereof and the body portion thereof, each of the ends of the casing through which the ends of the rods extend having an axial bore defining a bearing for said bearing portion of said rods and fluid pressure inlet means in said casing for application of fluid under pressure to opposed sides of said pistons to effect movement of said piston in opposed directions.

'7. The combination set forth in claim 6 in which a mounting bracket is secured to said casing and extends laterally outward therefrom and a pair of brackets are mounted respectively on the outwardly extending end of each rod and extend laterally outward therefrom, each of said rods having an enlarged diameter portion adjacent its outer end defining an annular abutment shoulder and each of said brackets having a complementary abutment thereby to limit outward movement of said rods, and complementary engaging means on said rods and said brackets for transmittal of torque from said rods to said brackets upon rotation of said rods.

8. A hatch cover assembly for a hatch opening comprising at least one panel member adapted to extend over the hatch opening, said panel member lying in substantially a horizontal plane when in closed position and in a substantially vertical plane when in open position, a second member associated with said panel member, means pivotally connecting said two members for movement of said panel member between such positions, said pivot means comprising an elongated cylindrical casing, means securing said casing to one of said members, a pair of pistons slid- -ably mounted in said casing and movable in opposed directions, the surfaces of said pistons having an effective area against which fluid under pressure will react substantially equal to the cross sectional area of the interior of the casing, a pair of actuated rods in said casing extending outwardly respectively beyond the respective ends thereof, means to effect rotation of said rods upon movement of said pistons, said means comprising a pair of transmission members in said casing, each operatively connecting one of said pistons and one of said rods, to rotate said rods upon movement of said pistons, bracket means operatively connecting said rods to the other of said members to limit axial outward movement of the rods with respect to said casing and to transmit torque to said other member upon rotation of said rods, fluid pressure inlet means in said casing for application of fluid under pressure to opposed sides of said pistons to effect movement of said pistons in opposed directions thereby to effect pivotal movement of said panel member.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,056,386 10/62 Aarvold et al 9233 OTHER REFERENCES Gotaverken (Swedish publication) May 11, 1961, pages 4 and 5.

HARRISON R. MOSELEY, Primary Examiner. 

8. A HATCH COVER ASSEMBLY FOR A HATCH OPENING COMPRISING AT LAST ONE PANEL MEMBER ADAPTED TO EXTEND OVER THE HATCH OPENING, SAID PANEL MEMBER LYING IN SUBSTANTIALLY A HORIZONTAL PLANE WHEN IN CLOSED POSITION AND IN A SUBSTANTIALLY VERTICAL PLANE WHEN IN OPEN POSITION, A SECOND MEMBER ASSOCAITED WITH SAID PANEL MEMBER, MEANS PIVOTALLY CONNECTING SAID TWO MEMBERS FOR MOVEMENT OF SAID PANEL MEMBER BETWEEN SUCH POSITIONS, SAID PIVOT MEANS COMPRISING AN ELONGATED CYLINDRICAL CASING, MEANS SECURING SAID CASING TO ONE OF SAID MEMBERS, A PAIR OF PISTONS SLIDABLY MOUNTED IN SAID CASING AND MOVABLE IN OPPOSED DIREACTIONS, THE SURFACES OF SAID PISTONS HAVING AN EFFECTIVE AREA AGAINST WHICH FLUID UNDER PRESSURE WILL REACT SUBSTANTIALLY EQUAL TO THE CROSS SECTION AREA OF THE INTERIOR OF THE CASING, A PAIR OF ACTUATED RODS IN SAID CASING EXTENDING OUTWARDLY RESPECTIVELY BEYOND THE RESPECTIVE ENDS THEREOF, MEANS TO EFFECT ROTATION OF SAID RODS UPON MOVETRANSMISSION MEMBERS IN SAID CASING, EACH OPERATIVELY CONNECTING ONE OF SAID PISTONS AND ONE OF SID RODS, TO ROTATE SAID RODS UPON MOVEMENT OF SAID PISTONS, BRACKET MEANS OPERATIVELY CONNECTING SAID RODS TO THE OTHER OF SAID MEMBERS TO LIMIT AXIAL OUTWARD MOVEMENT OF THE RODS WITH RESPECT TO SAID CASING AND TO TRANSMIT TORQUE TO SAID OTHER MEMBER UPON ROTATION OF SAID RODS, FLUID PRESSURE INLET MEANS IN SAID CASING FOR APPLICATION OF FLUID UNDER PRESURE OF OPPOSED SIDES OF SAID PISTONS TO EFFECT MOVEMENT OF SAID PISTONS IN OPPOSED DIRECTIONS THEREBY TO EFFECT PIVOTAL MOVEMENT OF SAID PANEL MEMBER. 